


Healing the Beacon of Beacon Hills

by ForgetMeNotWriter



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alive Claudia Stilinski, Alive Hale Family, F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-04
Updated: 2015-08-04
Packaged: 2018-04-12 21:16:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4495053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForgetMeNotWriter/pseuds/ForgetMeNotWriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry and his family visit Beacon Hills. There, he meets the Nemeton and decides to heal it from the darkness that had been trapped inside.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> This is just something that popped into my head. I don't plan on this being very long, but I do hope that I am able to put everything I want into this story. 
> 
> General Timeline - so far:
> 
> 1943: Nogitsune was put into Nemeton.  
> June 14-15, 1994: Jackson's parents die in car crash & Jackson is born (this will be important later on).  
> May 2, 1998: Voldemort is defeated.  
> June 26, 1998: Harry & family visit Beacon Hills.  
> July 3, 1998: Harry heals Nemeton.
> 
> *This will be updated as the time goes on in the chapters.

_**June 26-July 1, 1998 - 17 YO Harry.** _

Harry didn't want to leave.

It was summer, and Harry had come to visit California with his family. While they had planned to visit Los Angeles, the hotel they were booked in had decided to charge them more than what Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia had wanted. Beacon Hills was the next place on their list to visit. Apparently the lakes and beaches were rather popular here.

Upon first entering the town, Harry had felt something inside him jerk. It was as though a beast had been locked in his chest, growling and snarling against cage bars. Something inside of him had wanted to be set free. It wasn't until a week into their stay that Harry had realized what the feeling was, and when he did, he was hooked. He didn't want to leave.

Trust Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia to bring them to one of the most magically and supernaturally inclined places in America.

Harry could feel the ancient magic in the air. It was strange - different than his own. It soaked into the very core of Beacon Hills, settled and ready to protect when called upon. But it was tainted.

Uncle Vernon had taken Aunt Petunia and Dudley to a lake near the edge of the town, explaining to Harry that he was not allowed to stay in the hotel while they were gone. Harry hadn't argued. Instead, he had decided to go for a walk on one of the trails leading into the woods.

The woods were rather weird. Magic was heavy in the air, drenching the trees as though it was trying to drown them. Even the animals that he saw were covered in the magic. It was almost suffocating. The woods were also a lot more different than the Forbidden Forest back at Hogwarts. Privet Drive didn't have any woods near the neighborhood, so the only large plots of trees he had seen in his life were from the Forbidden Forest. These woods were completely new to him. Instead of the droopy, dark trees he was used to, these trees shined with life. They lit up the whole woods area.

It had taken twenty minutes for Harry to realize that he was no longer on the trail.

He couldn't help himself from exploring. It was in his nature to explore! Though, after the battle that had taken place at Hogwarts, that trait had dimmed quite a bit. After all, it had been a few months since his life had been in any danger. Harry was almost getting used to it. _Almost._

It was really no surprise when he stumbled across the artifact that caused Beacon Hills to be an actual beacon.

Well, it wasn't exactly an _artifact_. It was a tree trunk. At Hogwarts, students learn about these trees in Herbology. Nemetons, the most powerful trees in existence, were very rare to come across. These trees are large magical focuses, used in rituals and sometimes, though not commonly, used to bury powerful wizards and witches near. The power from the souls of the wizards and witches transfer over to the tree and protect it from harm.

This Nemeton hadn't had protection and had been wounded when it was young.

Nemetons can be grown anywhere, so long as there was the correct seed and an eclipse to provide long life. The one who plants it pushes some of their power into the seed to help it grow and help it protect. This Nemeton, the poor young tree, had been planted and left without protection. Now it was tainted.

A Dark soul, strangely familiar to Voldemort's broken and shredded soul pieces inside the Horcruxes, was resting inside the cut down Nemeton. And that's what was preventing the Nemeton from growing into its full self. Nemetons, even though they aren't supposed to be cut down, can easily grow back to their large height and width within months. But with Dark magic resting inside of them, they can't grow. Nemetons are Light plants, grown to protect and and provide help when needed. Dark magic, especially a Dark soul, sucks the Light sap that holds the Nemetons life and soul, and turns the sap into Dark power.

This Nemeton has had the Dark soul for over 50 years. No wonder the young tree wasn't growing.

Harry placed his hands on top of the trunk, immediately feeling the _pain, hunger, revenge, helplessness, trapped, terrified_ feelings from both the Nemeton and the Dark soul. He snatched his hands back, staring at the trunk with wide eyes. It was as though the Nemeton was _alive_ , pulsing with power and emotions. It was trying to stay alive, fighting against the Dark soul and trying to return it back to the Afterlife, where it belonged.

Harry turned his back on it and left.

***Linebreak***

_**July 2, 1998 - 17 YO Harry.** _

He returned the next day, carrying his wand with him. He was 17 now and could use magic without getting in trouble with the Ministry. The Elder Wand was back at the hotel in his bag. Not long after he had snapped it and dropped it from the bridge, the wand had returned to him, appearing in his trunk. Harry hadn't noticed until two months had passed since the battle.

Harry stepped around the trunk, trying to find a spot that would cradle his body comfortably. Spotting a spaced between a few roots that twisted out from the bottom, Harry sat and leaned back against the trunk. Immediately, just like the previous day, emotions from both the Dark soul and the Nemeton filled him. Harry shuddered and held himself back from jerking away. The emotions were overwhelming, practically suffocating him with how quickly they attacked him. It was as though they expected him to leave and were desperate for him to stay.

Pulling up his weak Occlumency, Harry worked on blocking out the Nemeton's emotions. He wanted to focus on the Dark soul in order to help it. After all, if he could remove the darkness that had overcome the body, then he could possibly return it back to the Afterlife to live peacefully.

After fighting through the _terror_ and _helplessness_ and _pain_ , Harry was pulled into the Nemeton's soul. Blinding white filled his vision. Blinking away the bright spots that blocked him from seeing clearly, Harry looked around at where he was. It was as though he were in a white room, reminding him slightly of the Hospital Wing at Hogwarts. Frowning in confusion, Harry continued looking and turned around.

The Dark soul was sitting on the trunk.

Stepping forward, Harry lifted the wand in his hand and held his empty hand up towards the figure. It was horrifying. Bandages wrapped around the body, showing blackened and blistered skin in the places that weren't covered. It wore tan slacks, a dark shirt and brown boots, with a brown leather jacket covering it. The jacket had a patch on the arm, but Harry didn't pay much attention to that detail. The thing's mouth was disgusting, showing blackened lips and sharp teeth. Harry had to hold himself back from gagging.

"A visitor," the Dark soul breathed, sounding as though it were excited. Harry's skin crawled when the hoarse voice filled the space between them.

"What's your name?" Harry asked. He didn't tell it why he was there. If the Dark soul knew that Harry wanted to help remove the Dark magic from it, then surely it would try to kill him.

The Dark soul let out a loud, mocking laugh. "My name!" it crowed, lips pulled back to show its sharp, dirty teeth. Harry shivered in disgust. "My name! Oh, no, no, no." It stood, hopping down from the trunk gracefully, and stepped towards him. "No, I don't have a name that you would be expecting, do I? No, my name is many! But you may call me a Nogitsune."

Harry stumbled back when it ran towards him, yelling the first spell that came to mind. "Expelliarmus!" The figure was flung back and landed on the other side of the trunk.

"Such power!" it cried, easily pulling itself back to its feet. Harry frowned when it didn't show any sign of being injured or breathless. "Yes, such fine power! Not at all like the one who called me to seek revenge!"

"Someone called you back from the Afterlife?" Harry cut in before it could continue. If this was true, then Harry may have more trouble than he had originally thought he would.

"Ah, the Afterlife," the figure said, almost wistfully. Harry narrowed his eyes and stared at it. "No, I don't belong in the Afterlife. I don't belong anywhere near the Afterlife. After all, I am not dead. I was never dead."

"You were never dead," Harry repeated, eyes widening at the figure. He raised his wand higher and focused on bringing his lousy Occlumency back up.

"Right," the Dark soul grinned, baring its teeth. It tilted its head and took a step closer to the trunk. "Now, I have a question for you. If you figure it out correctly, I may not decide to take over who you are." It stepped closer. "Are you ready?" Suddenly, it was before him. Harry jerked back, but it grabbed onto his arms and yanked him closer. "A hill-full, a hole-full; you cannot catch a bowl full. What am I?"

Harry fought against the Dark soul, pulling back against its hold and trying to life his wand back up. But the figure held tight.

"What am I?!" it roared, getting closer to Harry's face. A loud buzzing began to fill the air. "Answer me! A hill-full, a hole-full; you cannot catch a bowl full! What. Am. I?"

"Fog!" Harry cried, turning his face away from the thing. Suddenly, his arms were released and the loud buzzing stopped. Harry looked back at the figure. It was gone.

He was in the woods again, except it was night out now. The moon was full, which wasn't for another week or so. Stars glittered brightly up in the sky, and the trees around him were lit up. Fog was drifting lazily towards him, getting thicker and thicker the closer it got. The buzzing picked up again, coming from the trunk behind him. Harry turned around.

The Dark soul crouched on top of the trunk, baring its teeth at him with smugness radiating from its form. Harry rushed back to get away from it, heart racing.

"I would stay away from the fog if I were you!" it called, voice echoing throughout the woods. Harry paused and looked around in confusion. _Woods don't echo._

His attention was back on the Dark soul, watching it stand and spread its arms away from its body. Insects - no, _flies_ \- began escaping from its mouth, surrounding it in a dark, buzzing cocoon. Harry felt bile rising in his throat. He _hated_ flies!

As quickly as they appeared, the flies flew towards him. Raising his wand in panic, Harry screamed the spell that he wanted to use. "Fiendyre!" A bright blaze flung itself out of his wand, enveloping everything around him. His wand jerked and twisted in his hand, trying to escape his hold. The fire sucked the flies in, swallowing them whole, along with the figure and the trunk. Harry's eyes widened in horror. No! He couldn't let the Nemeton burn down!

Harry tightened his hand and, with difficulty, slightly flicked the end of his wand. The stream of fire broke off, forming into a raging lion intent on hunting its victims. Knowing that he only had a time limit of ten seconds after breaking the stream, Harry spoke the charm that would end the uncontrollable fire. "Occidere ingis!" he cried, slashing his wand violently in front of him. With the same loud roar that the fire had appeared with, it disappeared, leaving ash behind in its destruction.

His energy was quickly leaving his body, making him vulnerable to the Dark soul. Knowing that he couldn't stay for it to harm him, Harry forced his Occlumency shields up and threw himself away from the trunk.

His eyes opened and he gasped for breath, desperately swallowing the air that filled his greedy lungs. Harry flung himself away from the trunk of the Nemeton and stumbled out into the woods. The sky had begun to darken while he was inside the Nemeton, and he knew he had to leave before dark.

But he would be back tomorrow.

***Linebreak***

_**July 3, 1998 - 17 YO Harry.** _

The next day, Harry arrived with a bag in tow. It was early in the morning, just beginning to turn light, and that left him with the whole day to do what he planned on doing.

While helping with the reconstruction of Hogwarts, Harry had removed the Basilisk from the Chamber. He had given the body to Malfoy, knowing that the boy loved Potions and that he didn't consider him an enemy anymore. Harry still hated his guts, but even he knew when to give up on a childish fight.

The only thing Harry had requested to keep from the corpse was a few bottles of venom. Malfoy, instead of a few bottles of venom, had given him all of the Basilisk's venom and made him potions from the corpse, along with some fangs. Harry never really had a plan of what he was going to use this stuff for, but had kept it all with him just in case he needed it one day. He was glad he kept everything.

Basilisk venom could kill anything that was considered Dark. While Basilisks themselves were Dark, their venom was labeled as Neutral. It could kill anything Dark without a chance of a cure, but anything Light had the chance to heal with phoenix tears. Just last night, Harry had called Fawkes to him, asking for tears from the old phoenix. Luckily for him, Fawkes still adored Harry, and eagerly shed tears for him. Two jars of tears. Yeah, Harry felt bad for making the bird cry so much, but he kept reminding himself that it was for a good cause.

Gently setting his bag down by the trunk, Harry stopped to stare at it for a minute. He knew that what he was about to do was both stupid and dangerous. But he had faith in his plan. Harry believed that what he was going to do could actually work. Which couldn't be said for any other of his plans that he had thought of.

Sighing, Harry scooped his bag back onto his shoulder and sat in the same spot that he had sat in the previous day. Hoping that he was prepared enough, Harry lowered his Occlumency shields. He was immediately sucked into the Nemeton.

"You!" the Dark soul roared, jumping off the trunk and running at him. Harry flicked his wand and called out a spell, making ropes bind the figure.

"Petrificus totalus!" he said when he noticed the Dark soul breaking through the ropes. The figure froze, legs and arms snapping tight to its body, and it fell to the floor. Feeling triumphant, Harry walked to the trunk and set his bag on the floor. "Okay, lets do this," he sighed, opening his bag and pulling out what he needed. Two bottles of the venom were set on the floor along with the jars of tears.

Grabbing a small cup, Harry poured some of the venom into it and set it aside. He would need that later. Turning to the Nemeton trunk, Harry dipped the cloth he had brought into the venom and began spreading it over the trunk. Buzzing began to gain volume, making Harry work faster. Once he had spread venom in a thin layer all over the trunk, Harry grabbed the leftover bottle of venom and poured it onto the center of the trunk.

Flies burst out along with a gust of steam, immediately melting to dark goop upon exiting the trunk. Harry grimaced and used his wand to get rid of the mess. Working fast, Harry grabbed a clean towel and began to evenly spread the tears in two layers on the trunk, doing an extra one just for safety. Then, he repeated what he did with the venom, setting a small cup of tears aside and pouring the leftover tears in the center.

The effect was immediate. The trunk began to look healthier and it pulsed with excitement. Harry grinned, but decided to ignore the Nemeton for now. He had a Dark soul to take care of. Grabbing a Basilisk fang out of his bag and the cups of venom and tears, Harry strode over to the Dark soul lying on the ground. Its limbs were jerking, as though it were fighting the spell he had cast. Remembering how his spell hadn't hurt it yesterday, Harry immediately got to work.

He held the figure down, forcing the cup of venom into its mouth and massaging its throat to get it to swallow. Once that was done, he stabbed the fang into the chest and removed his spell. The Dark soul quickly freed itself from the ropes and began gagging, turning onto its side.

"What have you done?" it croaked, clawing at its throat. Harry frowned, feeling sympathetic towards it.

"I'm freeing you," he responded, watching dark mist begin to seep from its mouth. "You don't belong here."

"You'll kill the soul that had rested in this form before me," the thing grinned, black sludge dripping from its lips. "You won't save it! You'll be a murderer!" It began coughing painfully, retching and gagging violently. Harry chuckled and shook his head.

"That's where you're wrong," he said, tilting his head up to watch the dark mist instead of the stilling body. "I'm killing you. I will save the soul that belongs in this body. But now, it's time for you to leave."

With a final scream of fury, the figure disappeared and the dark mist evaporated. The body before Harry stilled. Grabbing the cup of tears, Harry poured it into the mouth and yanked the fang out of the chest while he massaged the throat. Immediately, the body lurched and gasped, coughing up excess black sludge. Harry winced.

"Sorry about that, mate," he patted the back of the man lying before him. "I didn't even think to clean out the sludge."

"Bandages," the man gasped, falling into another coughing fit. "Water."

"Right!" Harry exclaimed, using his wand to rinse out the cup that had contained the tears and refilling it with water. As he did this, he noticed the man beginning to pull the bandages off slowly, as though he was weak. "Here you go."

An unbandaged hand, _clear of blisters_ , grabbed the small cup and practically inhaled it. Harry frowned at the clear skin. Reaching up, he began to remove the bandages from the head. When the bandages were gone, Harry was met with short, curly brown hair, dark chocolate eyes, and a strong, masculine face. He grinned.

"I guess the tears healed you," he breathed in awe. The man looked down at his hands and frowned.

"But," he paused. "I was dead."

"You still are," Harry told him softly, afraid of scaring the man. He set a hand on his shoulder and continued. "But now you can actually move on to the Afterlife."

"I can?" the man looked up at him with hopeful eyes. "I can go to Heaven?"

"Yeah," Harry smiled, nodding. Tears made themselves known in the dark eyes of the man. "You can go to Heaven. I'm sure your family and friends are waiting for you up there. You've been stuck here for over 50 years."

"50 years," the man whispered, looking back down at his healed hands. "How do I do it?"

"Move on?" Harry asked. The man nodded. "I don't know. You have to figure that out yourself."

The man's head snapped up, looking to the left. A longing expression made itself known on his face, and the tears in his eyes finally began to fall. "I'm scared," he said, looking back up at Harry.

Harry's face softened. "Want to know what I heard about death?"

"What?" the man asked, looking into his face for something, as though he was searching for reassurance. Harry smiled at him.

"I heard that death is the next great adventure in life," he told the man. "And it's finally your turn to go on that adventure. You've got to be brave, okay? You've got to be strong enough to face whatever happens. I'm sure your family and friends will be there to help you through it, but you have to help them, too."

The man stared at him for a long moment, not speaking and not wavering in his gaze. Finally, his face filled with determination and he nodded. "I can do that," he said. He stood, stumbling slightly on his unsteady legs. After regaining his balance, he turned to look at Harry and smiled gratefully. "Thank you." The man turned and began walking off through the white room. A flash, as though a camera had just gone off, filled Harry's sight, before it disappeared. The man was gone.

Sighing and rubbing a hand over his face, Harry stood and gathered all of his belongings. He stretched and closed his eyes, focusing on his Occlumency shields. He was glad that he at least learned the basics in the lessons with Snape. Otherwise he probably would have never survived this.

Opening his eyes, Harry found himself back at the trunk of the Nemeton, feeling the sun shining down on his face. Smiling as the positive feelings of _happiness, healing, freedom, love, protection_ filled him, Harry stood and turned to look at the Nemeton. Green plants, appearing to be small trees, were growing on the trunk. Roots were spreading farther out from the trunk and twining around other trees. The bark, instead of being ghostly white, was now a beautiful, brightly shining white color.

Harry reached into his bag and pulled out a small syringe that he had filled with some of the phoenix tears. Pushing it into the small tree that rested in the center of the trunk, Harry injected it with the tears. "Stay healthy, buddy," he said, giving the trunk a soft pat. After debating with himself for a moment, Harry pushed some of his magic into the Nemeton, so he would know when it was being called upon. Maybe he could come and help when it happened. And Harry knew that it would be called upon. While he had healed the Nemeton, it was still acting as a beacon for supernaturals and magicals.

Hefting his bag higher onto his shoulder and tucking his wand into his back pocket, Harry turned and began walking.

He didn't want to leave Beacon Hills. But Harry knew he would be back.

Someday.


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> General Timeline - so far:
> 
> 1943: Nogitsune was put into Nemeton.  
> June 14-15, 1994: Jackson's parents die in car crash & Jackson is born (this will be important later on).  
> May 2, 1998: Voldemort is defeated.  
> June 26, 1998: Harry & family visit Beacon Hills.  
> July 3, 1998: Harry heals Nemeton.  
> July 31, 1998: Harry turns 18.  
> August 22, 1998: Harry leaves Beacon Hills.  
> June 4, 2002: Harry returns to Beacon Hills (just graduated from University & Healing).  
> November 7, 2002: Harry meets Derek & Derek turns 14.

_**August 22, 1998 - 18 YO Harry.** _

Harry returned to the Nemeton the day him and his family were leaving.

He didn't want to do anything special with it. He just wanted to check up on it and see how it was doing. The Nemeton had pushed itself into Harry's heart, causing him to wonder whether his feelings towards it were those of an older sibling caring for their younger sibling. Harry wasn't sure, but he reckoned that nobody else would consider a tree to be their sibling, so he was alone in that department.

Harry made it to the Nemeton quickly enough. He didn't have to work to remember the route he had taken months before. The Nemeton was calling for him, searching for him with its childish wonder and playfulness. It had been doing that ever since he left it alone.

When he finally did stumble across the Nemeton, cursing under his breath about trees needing to move their roots, Harry stopped in shock and ended up tripping over his own feet. It was only when the buzzing of _happiness, amusement, love, big brother, protector_ connected with him that Harry stopped gaping at the Nemeton.

It had grown. The Nemeton was now probably the largest tree in the woods of Beacon Hills. Its light colored bark was healthy and the leaves were a nice green color. The roots twisted and twined themselves around other trees surrounding it, seeming to connect with the nature around it. The tree itself stood to a tall height, towering over Harry's height of 5'7.

"You're beautiful," Harry told the Nemeton, setting a hand against the trunk. It pulsed back, repeating the word ' _beautiful_ ' back at him over and over. "Yeah, yeah," Harry chuckled. "You may be beautiful, but don't let it get to your head - uh, leaves?" A shock was sent through his arm and Harry yelped, yanking his hand back. "Hey now," he scolded fondly. "You can't be doing that to people."

As though apologizing, a thin branching covered in leaves lowered itself to his level, trembling. Harry brushed his finger across it and smiled. Before his eyes, the whole branch was suddenly blooming, transforming itself to be covered in pink and white flowers. As though it were a dog shaking off water, the branch shook itself and let the flowers fall off, fluttering to the ground around Harry. While the branch returned to its perch, growing green leaves again, Harry bent down and scooped up a handful of flowers.

"Cherry blossoms," he murmured, holding the flowers gently in his hands. Harry looked back up at the tree. "You're a cherry blossom tree, but you don't look like one." The Nemeton puffed up, practically oozing an air of offense. "You're still beautiful, love," Harry reassured the Nemeton. He transfigured a rock into a glass jar and gathered the rest of the flowers from the ground, placing them gently into the container. "I've actually got something for you," Harry spoke. He set the jar down by his feet and pulled a syringe out of his pocket. "More phoenix tears to keep you healthy and strong," he explained.

When Harry stepped forward, the Nemeton lowered a small, thin branch so he could reach it. Harry pulled the cap from the syringe and gently injected it into the branch, petting it soothingly when it jerked from the needle.

"There you go," he cooed, massaging a leaf between his thumb and index finger. The Nemeton pulled the branch back and shook it out. "Okay, I've got to go back home today," Harry sighed and leaned against the tree, remembering to vanish the needle. "I'm 18 now. I don't even know what I want to do with my life. Everyone expects me to be an Auror, but I don't want that. They want me to marry Ginny, but I don't think I even have feelings for her anymore." He groaned and slid down to the ground. "I don't know if I even want to go back home to London."

One of the roots next to his foot began rubbing against his leg, as though the Nemeton was trying to comfort him. Harry smiled and patted the trunk. "Ever since Hedwig died, I've felt like I was alone," Harry said quietly. "I know that my friends are still with me, but Hedwig was my life. She was my very first friend, and now she's gone. I don't know if there is a home for me without her." Harry rubbed his eyes when they began to itch with tears. "In fact, being here with you feels like home more than London does. I don't want to leave, but I know I have to. Everyone expects me to come back."

The Nemeton seemed to slump, as though it were sad. Harry twisted around and put his palms against the trunk of the tree. "I'll be back," he stated, rubbing his hands up and down on the smooth bark. "I'll come back when I'm done with everything in London. I'll come and visit you, too." Harry caught the time on his watch and sighed. "I've got to go. I have a plane to catch with the Dursley's."

Harry stood and brushed leaves off of his trousers, taking his time in order to delay his leave. Finally, he looked up at the Nemeton and quirked his lips up. "One more thing," he muttered, setting his palm back on to the trunk. Closing his eyes, Harry breathed in deeply and evenly, and nudged his magic. A thin tendril began drifting through his arm and out through his hand, feeding into the Nemeton. Harry did this until his eyes were drooping sleepily. "That should protect you until I come back," he yawned.

Picking up the jar of flowers, Harry turned and began walking away. The leaves of the Nemeton swayed softly behind him in the breeze.

***Linebreak***

_**November 2, 1998 - 18 YO Harry.** _

"I met a Nemeton," Harry informed Hermione, hoping she would drop the questioning of his career. Fortunately for him, she stopped talking and stared at him in shock.

"You met a Nemeton?" she asked, frowning at him when he nodded. "Harry, you can't have met a Nemeton. Nemeton's are trees, not people."

Harry had a feeling that she would respond that way. While Hermione was one of the brightest witches he had ever had the chance of meeting, she looked at things with a practical point of view. She could have the whole dictionary memorized, yet still not understand other aspects or other properties that an object or word may have. And, to be quite honest, Hermione liked things to be done in her own way. If someone were to give an opinion or meaning to something that is different than hers, then Hermione wouldn't accept the idea until she had written proof that it was true. This was both annoying and exasperating, but Harry still loved her.

"It was dying, Hermione," Harry explained. He continued when she looked at him expectantly. "I saved it and healed it, and put some of my magic in it to offer protection."

"So you created a magical connection with the Nemeton," Hermione nodded, an understanding expression showing on her face. "That's why you said you 'met' a Nemeton. But, Harry, you still didn't 'meet' one, you just made a connection with it."

Harry didn't bother correcting her. He had grown tired of the way she valued her own opinions over others, and today he just didn't feel like dealing with it. Harry knew that he had actually met a Nemeton. Sure, he may have also made a connection with it, but the Nemeton acted and felt as though it were an actual being. There was no way that he was going to disregard the idea of the Nemeton having a soul and mind just like a human does.

"It was a Blossom Nemeton," Harry told her. He pulled out the Herbology book that they had when attending Hogwarts during sixth year and turned to the bookmarked page. "The Nemeton blooms Cherry Blossoms in the spring, making it a Blossom Nemeton."

"How do you know it's a Blossom Nemeton, though?" Hermione questioned, grabbing the book from his hands and beginning to read through the page. "You saw it during the summer."

"Because it bloomed for me, Hermione," Harry sighed, gesturing towards the jar of flowers sitting on his shelf. Surprisingly, the flowers hadn't wilted yet. Instead, they looked the same from when he had gotten them a couple months ago.

Hermione walked over to the jar and picked it up, turning it in her hands as a curious expression made itself known on her face. "They're still fresh," Hermione noted, moving to open the jar.

Harry jumped up and snatched it from her hands. "Don't open it," he reprimanded, setting it gently back on his shelf. Hermione stared at him, offended and angry. "Look, I just don't want something to happen to them, okay? I like them and I want them to stay safe."

"Oh yeah," Hermione mocked. "Keeping them in a jar with no carbon dioxide and easily able to be knocked down is really keeping them safe, Harry."

Harry glared at her and sat back down at his desk. "Look, I've got work to do. I need to start studying for the essay that's coming up, so can we talk some other time?"

"Harry, why are you even studying in Medical school?" Hermione groaned, flopping back down onto his bed. "The Ministry would love to have you working for them!"

"I want to earn my job, Hermione," Harry gave the same response he has been giving for the past few months. "And, I don't want to work at the Ministry. You and I both know that they'll make me an Auror, and I don't want that. I don't want to be stuck hunting down criminals and constantly being on defense my whole life. I want to help people!" Harry turned in his chair to face Hermione. "I want to be able to help someone when they need it."

"Why don't you continue with muggle Medical school and drop Healing then?" Hermione sat up, giving him a look that she used when she thought he was being difficult. "You don't need magical schooling if you're doing muggle schooling. And it's also the other way around. Drop muggle school and stick with Healing. That way, once you're done, you can join the Ministry!"

"No, Hermione," Harry bit out, turning back to his books. "And I'm not only studying to help people - you know that. It's for animals and plants, too. I'm not going to give any of this up just because you and Ginny can't take 'no' for an answer." Harry turned his head to look at her seriously. "I'm going back to Beacon Hills as soon as I finish my schooling, Hermione. Five years and I'm out of here. I will not be joining the Ministry."

Hermione huffed and stood to her feet, frizzy hair puffing out like an angry cat. "You don't know what you're doing, Harry!" she spat, glaring at him. Harry faced her fully and crossed his arms.

"I know that right now I'm asking you to leave," he told her, keeping his steady gaze on her. Hermione's mouth opened slightly, as though she hadn't expected him to say such a thing. "I need to study, so leave my apartment, Hermione. Now."

"Fine," Hermione snapped, stomping out of his bedroom. Harry heard a loud crash before his door was slamming shut.

"She always goes after that statue," he groaned, rubbing his temple with his fingers. Harry let out a loud breath before turning back to the books spread across his expanded desk. He would fix the statue later.

***Linebreak***

_**June 4, 2002 - 21 YO Harry/4 YO Teddy.** _

"Teddy, you know why you couldn't come with me," Harry sighed, waving away the person standing behind him in irritation. They cursed at him and stormed off. There were two other payphones, for Merlin's sake! Even though one of them has a suspicious green goop on it, the other was perfectly fine!

"But, Uncle Harry!" Teddy whined through the speaker. A loud static sound had Harry wincing and pulling away. "Can't I just Portkey over? Uncle Draco works a lot and Grammy Andromeda is old!" Another sound crackled through the speaker. Harry's headache spiked.

"Teddy, baby, you know you can't come over like that," Harry responded, trying to soothe Teddy and his magic. He didn't want Hermione's phone blowing up or something worse. Especially because Hermione would blame him, and their relationship was still shaky from all the arguments they've had. "You can visit me anytime, you know that. But I have to get a job first and sign you in for muggle schooling when that happens. If you come over now, I won't be able to spend any time with you because I'll be busy."

"I know." Harry knew the boy was pouting. Teddy had learned the ridiculous puppy pout from Ron, claiming that it was his 'magic trick'. Ron, of course, thought the whole thing was funny, and began to teach Teddy different facial expressions that could get him anything he wanted from Harry. Malfoy thought the whole thing was beneath him, and hated that Ron was so close to Teddy. And Harry? Well, Harry loved spoiling the little brat. Teddy was like a baby brother to him - possibly even like a son.

"Look, next summer I'll try to convince Uncle Draco to let you stay over the whole time, okay?" Harry smiled when a loud squeal echoed over the receiver. "But," he interrupted Teddy's celebration, speaking seriously. "You have to promise me that you'll work hard on your schooling and that you'll help Draco watch over Grammy Andromeda. Can you do that?"

"Yes!" Teddy practically shouted, making a smile spread across Harry's face. "I can do that!"

"Good," Harry frowned at the person who had just stepped up behind him. There was no reason to tap him so impatiently like that! "By the time you start primary school, you'll be the smartest one there!" There was also the fact that magic helped all wizards and witches begin their education much earlier than muggles, but Harry didn't mention that. He would rather have Teddy feeling optimistic with his education instead of depending on his magic to always help.

"Aunt Hermione says I have to get off now," Teddy said, sounding disappointed. Harry's heart clenched. He wanted to talk to his godson a bit longer.

"That's okay!" Harry tried to cheer him up. The woman standing behind him cleared her throat, the tapping of her foot mimicking the pulsing pain in Harry's head. "When I get to the apartment, I can call you on Uncle Draco's phone, okay?"

"Okay!" Teddy sounded happier now that he had reassurance of Harry contacting him. Truthfully, Harry was going to call him by Floo, but he would leave it as a surprise for the boy. He wanted to see the pure joy on his face more than just hearing it in his voice.

"Bye, Teddy Bear," Harry grinned, laughing at the groan of embarrassment from the boy. "I love you!"

"Love you, too, Uncle Harry!" The call disconnected. Harry blinked, startled. He hadn't expected Teddy to just hang up on him.

"Well then," Harry huffed, setting the phone back into its slot. The woman who had been waiting impatiently pushed him to the side and snatched it right back up, glaring at him. "Batty old hag," he muttered, grabbing his bags and walking off. Harry heard the woman gasp and grinned. Served her right!

The large blinking lights announcing that he was currently at Beacon Hills Airport were the first things that welcomed him when Harry stepped outside the building. The second was a rush of people, trying to quickly move around in order to get to their destinations. The third thing that Harry immediately noticed was a rather large blackboard. It was being held by a burly bald man who stood next to a nervous looking woman. _Harry J. Potter_ was written in angular and slightly rounded handwriting. Harry bit back a groan and forced a smile onto his face.

The woman noticed him walking towards them first. Her eyes widened and slid down his body, taking in his appearance, before a polite smile similar to the one Harry was currently wearing formed on her lips. She immediately stood straighter and smoothed out her wrinkle free skirt. Her blonde hair was slightly ruffled from the wind, reminding Harry of Tonk's short, spiky hair.

The man next to her seemed to notice that she had spotted him, and his dark eyes landed on Harry's form. His face stayed blank, not showing any emotion, but Harry noticed that his body had relaxed slightly. Harry fought to keep the frown off of his face. Just what kind of people did Hermione ask to pick him up?

"Hello!" the woman immediately greeted, thrusting a hand out towards him. Harry set his bags down and shook her hand, keeping his grip light and steady. "You must be Harry, right?"

"Yes, ma'am," he nodded, leaning back down to grab his things.

"Great! My name is Jane and this is Thomas," Harry nodded his head once towards Thomas, who responded with a bow of his own head. The sun glinted off of his dark, bald head, making Harry think of a snitch painted black. That was a rather strange picture to imagine. "We're here to escort you to your apartment and then to the auto dealership. You do have your license, correct?" she frowned, eyeing him suspiciously through her glasses.

"Of course," Harry answered, frowning at her in return. A pleased look crossed her face before she was clicking through her phone.

"Great!" Jane exclaimed, keeping her eyes focused on her phone as she began walking to a black van. Thomas followed behind Harry, folding the blackboard in half and holding it under his arm.

"Right," Harry started, deciding that it was better to ask now rather than later. "So, what happens after I get my car?"

Jane looked up at him with a surprised expression, as though she hadn't realized that he had no idea what was going on. "Well," she began explaining, turning her phone off. Harry caught the words ' _Sony Ericsson_ ' written on the front before it was put in a small holder between the front seats. Harry took a seat in the back while Jane sat in the passengers side. "After we get your car, we'll," she gestured between herself and Thomas. "Go back to headquarters and you can go home. I have a project that I need working on and Thomas has a new job for himself to get started on."

"Oh," Harry said. Instead of continuing the conversation, Harry leaned back into his seat and stared out the window. At least he wouldn't have them trailing him wherever he decided to go. That would definitely not help with his stress levels.

***Linebreak***

_**November 7, 2002 - 22 YO Harry.** _

Harry sighed and slumped in his chair, cupping his tea closer to his face for warmth. Winter was coming quickly here in Beacon Hills, and his job career was moving slowly. The Beacon Hills Memorial Hospital didn't have any need for more nurses or doctors. Heck, there were people applying that had been in Med school much longer than his simple five years! At least, that's what he had been told by nurse McCall, who had scolded the doctor talking to him for being an ass.

"This has been a good year," she had told him, smiling in sympathy. "We have more than enough doctors and nurses, so anyone applying will be on hold until we really need them. And we're hoping that we won't need to hire any more staff soon at all."

Harry had nodded, politely said 'thank you', and left the hospital with a defeated air. A month earlier he had gone to apply at the local animal clinic, but after seeing the college students working hard there, Harry couldn't bring himself to apply. Just knowing that he would be taking a job from a desperate college student in need of money was enough to keep him far away from the clinic. And there was no need for his skill in botany. Wildlife grew wild and untamed around here. There weren't even any flower shops near where he lived, so the idea of working with plants was out of the equation. So, at the moment, Harry was still in desperate need of a job.

Harry stared out the window that he sat by in the cafe glumly. He knew that if Ron were here, he would be accused of pouting and if Hermione were here, he'd be reprimanded for sulking. But he couldn't help himself! His chances of finding a job and making a place for himself here were decreasing each day that passed by. All Harry could do was sit at home in his small apartment and laze about, doing absolutely nothing. He couldn't even visit the Nemeton because it was in, what he liked to call, 'hibernation'. Harry didn't even know Nemeton's _could_ hibernate!

To be completely honest, Harry spent most of his days in the small garden at the back of the apartment. It was all he had to do. There wasn't a TV in his apartment, there wasn't a radio, and there weren't any of his books (well, there were, he just hadn't gotten to unpacking them). The garden was his escape - somewhere he went to in order to relax and take his mind off of things. It also gave him the bonus of getting on his neighbors' good sides (especially Ms. Roxy downstairs, who always asked him to take her kids with him to the garden so she could spend some time with her boyfriend - _boyfriends_ ). They were always nice to him and sometimes invited him over for lunch or dinner.

"Do you mind?" Harry snapped out of his thoughts and looked up to see a young boy standing in front of him. His eyebrows were thick and made him look angry, despite the kind smile that was spread across his face. His dark hair was cut short and a pair of sunglasses were set on top of his head. A Beacon Hills MS sweater with the word 'TRACK' was unzipped, showing a Superman shirt with a light red stain near the bottom. And, to Harry's dismay, the teenager looked as though he was the same height as him. "Excuse me?"

Harry winced at the awkward and slightly guarded look the teenager was giving him. "Yeah! Sure, take a seat," he quickly responded, waving his hand at the empty chair across from him. The teenager grinned, showing off adorable bunny teeth. Oh, Harry was gonna die! This kid had the same exact teeth that Teddy did, and it was doing strange things to his brotherly instinct. "I'm Harry," he cleared his throat and held his hand out for a shake.

"Derek," the teenager replied, gripping his hand tightly and giving it a firm shake. "Are you not from around here?"

"Oh! No, I'm from London," Harry chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just moved here a few months ago."

"Cool," Derek nodded, lifting his cup to sip at his drink. Both of them went silent after that, sitting at the table comfortably, as though they hadn't just met. Soon, however, the silence got to Harry, and he began jiggling his foot and picking at his fingers.

"So," Harry drew the word out, looking around the small cafe before finally landing his gaze back onto Derek. The kid looked at him curiously. "You're in middle school?" he gestured at the sweater.

"Ah, no," Derek laughed, turning a light shade of red. Harry felt a grin begin to stretch across his face. "I'm in high school. A freshman." The boy cleared his throat, tapping his finger on the lid of his drink. "My hoodie from school is dirty, so I decided to just wear this."

"I completely understand that," Harry chuckled. He decided to make fun of himself a bit so that Derek wasn't as embarrassed. "Yesterday I woke up and had no clean socks. I had to wear my shoes without socks, which gave me blisters." Yeah, yesterday hadn't been very fun, especially since he had chosen to take a walk through the park. His feet were still sore and blistered!

Derek let out a small laugh and Harry beamed happily. "I bet that sucks, huh?" Derek smiled, looking at him in amusement. Harry nodded seriously.

"Oh yeah," he agreed, pouting. "You have no idea."

"Hm," they went silent again, just sitting and looking around at the other customers. Derek took a few gulps of his drink before asking Harry a question. "So, what're you doing here?"

"In the cafe?" When Derek gave an affirmative, Harry shrugged. "I don't know. Just hanging out, I guess. What about you?" "I usually sit at this table and do my homework," Derek answered. Harry felt his mouth open in surprise.

"Oh, I can go," Harry offered, beginning to grab his side-bag and tea. Derek quickly shook his head, stopping him.

"No, you're fine!" he said, holding his hand up. "I finished my homework in my last class, so I'm done with it."

"Oh," Harry responded, settling back down. "Okay."

"Yeah." Again with the silence.

"So," Harry drawled, using his finger to draw patterns on the table. Derek looked up at him, eyebrows furrowing.

"What do you do?" he questioned, leaning back so that his chair was balanced on the back two legs. At Harry's reprimanding look, he settled his chair back onto the ground, rolling his eyes. "How old are you, anyway?"

"I'm 22," Harry said, setting his chin on his palm. "And I currently don't have a job. Which sucks. I've been looking, but nothing for Med graduates is open."

"I'm 14," Derek replied, hunching his shoulders the way most kids do when they realize they are speaking with an adult. Harry smiled, amused at his reaction. "I'll be 15 in November next year. You have a degree in medicine? Like a doctor?"

Harry hummed, answering the question with, "Yeah, but it's not helping me much right now."

Derek didn't respond for a moment. He just stared at Harry, furry eyebrows bunching together in thought while his eyes seemed to see right through him. "The nurse at school is leaving this Friday," he finally spoke. Harry perked up.

"Really?" Harry practically yelped, bouncing slightly in his chair from excitement. "Is it open? Has anyone applied for the spot yet?"

"I don't think anyone has," Derek shook his head, snorting when Harry fist bumped the air. "She just got married last week, so her and her family are moving somewhere else." Harry noticed him sneaking a look at his wrist, and knew that this conversation was going to end soon.

"Got somewhere to be?" he asked, drinking the last of his tea. He took a look at his own watch and noticed that a little over an hour had passed by. How had the time slipped away so quickly?

"Yeah, I've got to be home for dinner," Derek told him, knocking back the last of his drink and standing. Harry stood, too, gathering his things in his arms. "We're celebrating my birthday today."

"Today's your birthday?!" Harry exclaimed, looking at Derek with wide eyes. The teenager nodded, giving him a funny look. "I should get you something!"

"No, no," Derek declined, shaking his head and holding his hands up. "You don't need to do that!"

"But I want to!" Harry argued. He tossed his empty cup into a trash bin near the table and began to herd Derek out of the cafe. "C'mon, now. How'd you get here? Do you need a ride? What would you like?"

Derek was throwing him looks, as though he thought that Harry was crazy. Harry just ignored them. He was used to Ron giving him the same looks whenever he would study for his school work. "You don't mind giving me a ride? I live pretty far from here."

Harry paused from unlocking his car, taking a moment to peer around at the outside of the cafe. There weren't any bikes in view. "Do you walk?" he frowned.

"Yeah." Derek had his hands in his pockets, staring down at his feet sheepishly.

"Come on, get in," Harry sighed, finally clicking the button on the remote. The car beeped, letting him know that it was unlocked, and he opened his door. "I'll stop somewhere to get a gift for you and then I'll drive you home."

"You really don't have to get me anything," Derek groaned, opening the passenger door and buckling himself in. Harry started the car and threw him an incredulous look.

"You tell me that you're birthday is today and you don't expect me to get you a gift?" he snorted and turned the radio on. "Think again, mister."

"But -" Harry interrupted before Derek could refuse him again.

"No buts," Harry said, turning on his left blinker. He shot Derek a smile before turning back to the road. "I'm getting you something, whether you like it or not."

They drove in silence for the most part. Sometimes, Derek would ask him a question or give directions to certain places (including his house), and Harry would ask his own questions or give his own comments. Derek was a sweet kid. It sounded as though he had some anger issues from the way he spoke about events at school, but he really was a kind kid.

Harry ended up stopping at a small bookstore that he had passed by a few times. On the window, there were ads for comics, CDs, and different things spread throughout the shop. Since Derek was wearing a Superman shirt, Harry assumed that he was okay with comics. Also, what teenager doesn't like music? Harry ended up getting two gift cards with $100 on each (one for comics and the other for whatever he wanted), explaining that if Derek didn't accept them, then he would sneak back to his house later and leave them on the doorstep. Derek thanked him profusely when he was tucking them into his wallet.

The rest of the drive to Derek's house was fun. He let the kid control the radio, and then ended up making a fool of himself by trying to sing along to a song by a guy named Nelly. From the lyrics, Harry didn't think that the song was very appropriate (ha, no, taking off clothes because of how hot it is does not seem appropriate at all), but Derek seemed to enjoy himself. The kid was laughing himself silly at Harry's (horrible) singing and tapping his fingers along to the tune - ("It's called a _beat_ , Harry," Derek rolled his eyes).

Finally, they pulled up to Derek's house. It was beautiful and way better than where he was currently living. It was also surrounded by woods, making Harry think of the Forbidden Forest. On the porch was a teenager who looked a little older than Derek. She was also giving him the evil eye.

"Laura," Derek grumbled under his breath. Shaking his head, Derek turned to smile at him. "Thanks for the ride. I hate walking home everyday, so I really do appreciate it."

"It's not a problem!" Harry hurried to reassure, waving his hands in the air between them. Harry spared a look towards the girl on the porch and saw that two adults had come out to join her. The woman, who had the same eyes as Derek, was striding towards the car with a polite but cautious expression on her face. Harry gulped. "C'mon, kid. I think I'm about to have a serious and scary talk."

Derek snorted, but exited the car. By the time Harry shut his door, Derek was beside the woman and whispering to her.

"I'm Talia, Derek's mother," she introduced herself, holding out her hand. Harry smiled and shook it. "Derek tells me that you offered to give him a ride?"

"Harry," he returned his name, then nodded. "Yeah! I was in a cafe and he asked to sit down. Turns out it was his table," Harry chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck and scuffing his shoe on the ground. "We talked for a bit and when we got up to leave, I noticed that he didn't have a bike or anything, so I offered to drive him home. I hope that was okay?" Harry suddenly seemed to realize that turning up to a strangers house with their underage son may not have been the brightest thing he could have done. "I apologize if I crossed a boundary. I just wanted to do something nice, especially since it's his birthday."

"He told you it was his birthday today?" Talia raised one of her perfect eyebrows, twisting to give Derek a look.

"Yeah," Harry nodded, gulping when her gaze landed back on him. "He kind of reminds me of my godson, so I'm kinda feeling that whole big brother instinct right now." Harry blushed when he realized what he just said. "Not that I mean - I didn't - he's just - ugh, man!" he whined, hiding his face behind his hands. "I hope I didn't just make everything awkward."

While he was dying of embarrassment, Talia and Derek seemed to think that it was a perfect moment to laugh at him. He could even hear faint chuckles coming from the porch. "Harry - if I may call you that?" when he nodded, she continued. "It's completely fine. We're just extremely overprotective of our children, my husband and I." She waved her arm towards her husband, who gave Harry a slight wave. "We don't really trust strangers very often, but Derek tells me that you're a good person."

Derek blushed bright red, looking at his mum as though she had just betrayed him. Harry beamed at him. "Thanks, Der-bear!" he teased, chuckling when Derek's face reached another shade of red and his eyebrows tried to eat the bridge of his nose. "That's so sweet of you!"

"Shut it!" Derek grouched, rolling his eyes and sticking his tongue out at Harry. Harry just laughed ("He's actually cackling like a witch," Derek's father muttered from the porch) and turned back to his mother.

"Well, I've got to go now," he smiled, twirling his keys on his finger. "I've got to send in an application for the nurse position at the high school."

"Oh?" Talia did that eyebrow raise again. "You're going to be working at the school?"

"Yeah," Harry shot a grin towards Derek, who had his hands in his pocket and looked bored. "I've been having trouble finding a job lately and Derek here told me about the opening."

"Hm," Talia hummed, tilting her head and assessing him with her eyes. "Won't you stay for dinner?"

The sudden way all four of them (even Laura and dad on the porch) stared at him made Harry feel as though they were predators - and he was the prey. He breathed in deeply, calming his suddenly racing heart, and gave all of them a tiny smile. "Nah," he shook his head. "I've got to get back to my apartment and check out the offer. Friday is only two days away, so I should really see about sending in my application either tonight or tomorrow morning."

"Okay," Talia grinned. Harry felt as though her teeth were a little too bared to be considered normal, but shrugged it off. Some people have strange smiles - they can't help it. "Well, I'd love to get to know you more, so please feel free to stop by at any time. Here," she reached into her pocket and pulled out a card (who carries cards in their pockets?). When he accepted it, their fingers brushing, he read ' _Talia Hale - Interior Designer - Hale Constructions & Designs_' across the front with a list of contacts on the bottom in small print. "My personal number is on the back, so please don't be afraid to use that one to contact me."

Harry nodded. "Okay," he agreed, tucking the card into his back pocket. He clasped his hands together in front of him, clutching his keys between them and rocking back and forth on his feet. "Well, I should get going now."

"Of course!" Talia exclaimed, smiling down at him (why was she so tall?).

"Happy birthday, Derek," Harry said, smiling at the teen and waving towards the two on the porch. He unlocked his car and sat in the drivers seat.

"Thanks," Derek muttered, giving him a small smile in return. Harry nodded and was about to shut his door when Talia's hand landed on his shoulder, close to his neck.

"Harry?" she stepped closer and leaned down to look into the car and directly at him. "I'll send you Derek's number so you have it. And my husbands." When Harry agreed, Talia bared her teeth in another grin and stepped back, brushing her hand against his neck. "Have a good night."

"You too," Harry murmured, buckling his seatbelt and shutting the door. His face was hot and he knew that he looked weirded out. As he started his car and began the drive back to his apartment, one thought stayed stuck in his mind.

_Was Derek's mum literally just flirting with me?_


End file.
